United States lawmakers have accused the Nigerian government of foot-dragging on measures to end the alleged persecution of Christians in the country.
The lawmakers convened a roundtable on Tuesday to discuss the escalating violence in the country and what they say is a targeted persecution of Christians.
Participants in the hearing included Mario Díaz-Balart, house appropriations committee vice chair and national security, Department of State, and related programmes subcommittee chairman; Robert Aderholt, labour, health and human services, education, and related agencies subcommittee chairman and values action team (VAT) chair; and Riley Moore, appropriations legislative branch subcommittee vice chair and leading religious liberty advocate.
Other participants included Brian Mast, foreign affairs committee chairman; Chris Smith, foreign affairs Africa subcommittee chairman; Vicky Hartzler, US Commission on International Religious Freedom chair; Sean Nelson, Alliance Defending Freedom International; and Ebenezer Obadare, Council on Foreign Relations.
During the discussions, Smith said, Christians and “moderate” Muslims in Nigeria live under the constant threat of murder, rape, and torture by radical Islamist groups, such as Boko Haram and Fulani terrorists.
“The most brutal and murderous anti-Christian persecution in the world — as well as the systemic targeting and killing of moderate Muslims who speak out against radical Islamists or refuse to conform with their extreme ideals — occurs in Nigeria, the ground zero of religious violence,” he said.
The lawmaker added that the Nigerian government has a constitutional obligation to protect its citizens but has failed, owing to how the “perpetrators of this persecution operate with complete impunity”.
“The United States is committed to standing firmly with the persecuted, no matter where in the world. Under the strong leadership of President Trump, I am confident that the United States will hold the Nigerian government accountable for its complicity in the rampant religious persecution occurring within its borders,” he said.
“The Nigerian government is trying to run out the clock; we cannot allow this to happen. We must act quickly and decisively to save more lives.”
Díaz-Balart noted that defending religious liberty worldwide is a moral duty and a vital part of America’s foreign policy.
“No one should live in fear because of how they worship,” he said.
Díaz-Balart, who chairs the subcommittee that funds US national security interests and foreign policy priorities, said he would address the issue by passing a full-year funding measure in the FY26 funding bill.
The lawmaker said it is essential to advancing an ‘America First’ agenda.
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